Rationing
Rationing was the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, or services. Rationing controls the size of the ration, one's allotted portion of the resources being distributed on a particular day or at a particular time. Rationing and rationing control was notably used by the COG, especially during the Locust-Human War because of extreme shortages of food, water, supplies, materials and technological equipment and resources.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationing History of Use Pendulum Wars Under the Military Emergency Measures Act, the COG Army had a ration program for its troops that served them before the local civilian population. If a civilian violated the Act, execution was the form of punishment for the crime. During the Siege of Anvil Gate, Lt.Hoffman declared a Military Emergency Measures act over the city of Anvegad population, a Kashkuri citizen named Geril Atar stole rations from the fort of Anvil Gate he was caught and executed for his crimes against the COG.Gears of War:Anvil Gate It is likely that the nation of Tyrus never saw significant rationing during the Pendulum Wars due to its high level of development and relative distance from the front-lines. Locust War Due to the acute food shortages that often come with war, the Coalition of Ordered Governments introduced rationing during the Locust War and, most likely, the Pendulum Wars. The COG Department of Conscription was responsible for handing out Ration cardsLast Day, men who were conscripted from Operation Lifeboat families were given Class 3 Ration cards since their immediate family members are on front line duty.Last Day After E-Day, the scorched earth policy of the COG wiped out countless acres of farmland. In an effort to support the remaining population, rationing was introduced so as to make sure everyone was fed. How much food an individual received depended on their role in society. Gears, who had to fight, received the most. Specifically, three times the amount of a non-combatant. Men who did not fight received approximately 2300 calories a day, women only 1800 (unless they were pregnant in which case they were given more).Gears of War: Aspho Fields pg 20 Families had their food ration tied to children staying in school so they COG avoided packs of "feral children" running rampant in Jacinto.Gears of War: Aspho Fields pg 20 Ration Bars are distributed to Gears as a quick source of calories and energy on the frontlines, or on the go. These bars came to be almost a currency, and were often traded, especially with those who received less than the Gears. They could also be used as gifts and apologies; Marcus Fenix gave some to members of the COG Engineering Corps as an apology for their lack of food, and Augustus Cole gave some to Stranded children as a good will gesture even though Baird questioned his reasoning. Jacinto City alone needed 30 thousand tons of food a month to feed the populationGears of War:Aspho Fields pg 66 Effects of Rationing Gears of War: Aspho Fields, page 113 While a sensible and vital policy, the public was often in uproar over the lack of food. Food riots occurred at least once during the Locust War. Rationing also created tension and division between various groups of people, not only within the COG but between the COG and the Stranded. Many were bitter about the lack of food, particularly the Stranded who scraped a living on whatever they could scavenge (be it rat, dog, or even Kryll). It was just one of many sore points between the Stranded and the COG, and did not improve relations. References Category:COG